Many hikers grow to be obsessive about saving weight when deciding on gear for thru-hikes. Lower a couple of ounces right here, save a couple of grams there — all of it provides up. Steadily, we dial in our weight merchandise by merchandise, realizing we didn’t want a second pair of shorts or a fourth pair of socks.
Just a few gadgets, nevertheless, are a necessity to maintain us protected from the unpredictable situations — like a tent. Fortuitously, ultralight shelters have modified drastically since Grandma Gatewood used a bathe curtain as a shelter on the Appalachian Path. Using the coattails of one of the vital widespread ultralight tents on the market, the brand new Zpacks Duplex Lite ($669) refines a basic and even trims a couple of ounces alongside the way in which.
Now original as a shelter for a single hiker (or two in a pinch), the Duplex Lite keys in on the ultralight hikers who sleep solo most of the time, however nonetheless respect some inner area to experience out an all-night storm. At 15 ounces, it’s 3 ounces lighter than the unique, and after a couple of months of utilizing it throughout the West, I’ve seen each the great and the dangerous on this UL shelter.
In brief: The Zpacks Duplex Lite ultralight tent improves on the basic Duplex in most metrics — if you happen to principally hike alone and aren’t very tall. For the ultralight hiker trying to trim the fats from all corners of their load-out, it may be a wonderful possibility.
To be taught extra concerning the present choices in relation to thru-hiker-approved ultralight shelters, take a look at GearJunkie’s Finest Ultralight Tents Purchaser’s Information.
Some of the ultralight two-person shelters on the market
Very compact packed measurement
Sturdy sufficient for a complete through hike
Small footprint for compact websites
Doorways could be closed individually
A decent squeeze for 2 hikers, or anybody tall sleeping on an inflatable
Costly
Rainbow zippers degrade faster than L-zip designs
DCF can shrink with age
Jackson Sims-Myers
Zpacks Duplex Lite Tent: Evaluation
The Duplex Lite is near-identical to the basic Duplex, save for a barely narrower footprint and a lighter ground materials and guylines; (photograph/Jackson Sims-Myers)
I spent a handful of nights within the Duplex Lite on journeys in Utah’s backcountry to get a really feel for the tent this yr. This journey included the alpine in Utah’s Tushar Mountains and out to the tough summer time desert on Lake Powell, in addition to an early-season hike in Roan Highlands, N.C.
At 6’2″ tall, I discover this tent to be a bit too small for me. Both my toes or my head touched the partitions sufficient for condensation to moist my quilt or head at evening, and even after I was sleeping diagonally, it was nonetheless small.
Zpacks says it is a one-person plus gear tent that has the capability for 2 individuals. I’m really inclined to agree with them, relying on the dimensions of the hiker(s) in it, however I believe it’s most likely a stretch to name this a real two-person shelter for a pair of thru-hikers spending months in it. That being mentioned, I discovered bit extra about this shelter whereas utilizing it, and for the precise hiker, it’s a extremely refined alternative.
The Nitty Gritty: Ultralight, Compact, and Minimalist
The Zpacks Duplex Lite 6×12″ stuff sack; (photograph/Jackson Sims-Myers)
The Duplex Lite is produced from Dyneema Composite Cloth (DCF), a water-resistant, laminate material with excessive tensile energy. Because of its lighter materials and smaller measurement, the Duplex Lite drops 3 ounces off the Duplex Basic whereas just about remaining the identical tent.
The Duplex Lite is produced from a 0.55-ounce/sq. yard DCF cover mixed with a 0.75-ounce/sq. yard ground. The lighter ground helps make it a good bit lighter than the Basic, but it surely’s primarily a smaller tent. Preserving the identical size, the Lite narrows the width by 5 inches and exterior dimensions as much as 7 inches.
Apart from utilizing thinner 1.3mm guylines, a lot of the reliable and minimalist options are the identical. There’s light-weight mosquito netting and twin storm doorways on each side. The within zipper is very nice, and the netting falls inward when opened, which is a superb contact.
The 4 doorways shut independently; (photograph/Jackson Sims-Myers)
The outside storm doorways are zipperless and may all be used independently. I like this function, and it was my favourite function of my Zpacks tarp again within the day as properly. One much less a part of the tent to interrupt on a dusty path or after I’m exhausted and making an attempt to get to sleep shortly.
A mesh display separates the tub ground of the Duplex Lite from the cover to stop condensation from dripping in. A pull wire adjusts the display to let condensation drip by way of and out of doors the tent. The same function is included in lots of different single-walled shelters, and I just like the adjustability within the Duplex Lite.
Packed up, the tent will get fairly small, becoming right into a roughly 3.5L DCF stuff sack. If packed tightly, it might have sufficient room to suit minimalist tent stakes inside as properly.
Different Ultralight Concerns
Non-freestanding tents are a bit extra choosy about the place you set them up, with various essential stake factors to maintain it steady; (photograph/Jackson Sims-Myers)
There are a couple of different issues to think about concerning the Duplex Lite. This non-freestanding tent requires two trekking poles to arrange, otherwise you’ll must buy Zpacks carbon tent poles from its retailer (offered individually.) Zpacks makes a freestanding pole package for the Duplex Basic and Duplex Zip tents however at present doesn’t have this similar possibility for the Lite.
Zpacks gear is dear, which generally is a large turn-off for potential customers, however the model’s tents are good high quality, often have a brief lead time, and are extremely mild for his or her measurement. Coming in sizzling at $669 (the price of 66.9 bathe curtains at $10 a curtain), the Lite doesn’t have a penny-pinching worth level.
You’re actually paying for a high quality product. Can you purchase a extra sturdy tent for this a lot cash? Completely, however at the price of a heavier tent. There are not any additional bells and whistles within the Duplex Lite, however some equipment like storage pockets could be bought on the Zpacks web site.
Top and Sizing Limitations
Over 6′ tall? It’s possible you’ll wish to contemplate one other shelter; (photograph/Jackson Sims-Myers)
So far as the Duplex Lite goes, I’ve already talked about the peak factor sufficient. That being mentioned, at 40 inches large, the ground of the Lite is simply large sufficient to accommodate two 20-inch-wide sleeping pads.
For climbing {couples} (or these just too trail-tired to care), it’s manageable for a night or two. Moreover, Zpacks sells accent Trekking Pole Cups that assist improve headroom by lifting the outer wall guyline angles away.
It’s necessary to say that Zpacks does make shelters for taller hikers, and each the Offset Solo and Offset Duo are designed for tall hikers and {couples} searching for ultralight shelters that really match them. The Offset Solo has a worth level much like the Duplex Lite and weighs 17.5 ounces (virtually the identical because the Duplex Basic). All of Zpacks’ ultralight shelters could be discovered on their web site.
Conclusion: Who Is the Zpacks Duplex Lite For?
Like all ultralight gear, the Duplex Lite has a particular consumer and use in thoughts. If that’s you, it could possibly be your subsequent dream shelter; (photograph/Jackson Sims-Myers)
The Zpacks Duplex Lite might be not the precise shelter for first-time tent customers or for whimsical gear thrashers. A hiker who stands 6’6” and finds themself sleeping in a single will doubtless be sad about their buy, whatever the weight financial savings. Sorry, it’s simply not made in your top.
Nonetheless, these beneath 6 toes tall could actually discover the shelter roomier and extra snug to spend a wet evening nestled subsequent to their climbing associate. This can be a really ultralight shelter and used the way in which that the majority thru-hikers use two-person shelters — that’s, as a single-occupant shelter with room to unfold out — it excels.
Solo UL hikers searching for a totally insert-protected, rainproof tent will discover it straightforward sufficient to arrange alone and match into these smaller tent spots at camp within the night, and it has sufficient area for pals (or companions) to affix you. For these trying to spend a ton of time of their tent on the common, tall individuals, or hikers sharing the tent each evening for months on finish, contemplate sizing as much as make room for one another or for your self.
